All Badgers

Live updates: No. 18 Wisconsin versus Illinois State game thread

Live in-game updates from Saturday night's football game between Wisconsin and Illinois State inside Camp Randall Stadium.

Matt Belz

In this story:

The Wisconsin Badgers are back in action, kicking off the 2022 season under the lights of Camp Randall Stadium against the Illinois State Redbirds on Saturday night. 

With kickoff time set for 6 p.m. CST, the game aired on FS1, All Badgers will have a rolling thread of game updates as they happen from the game. 

Contents

  1. Pregame Status Updates
  2. First Quarter
  3. Second Quarter
  4. Third quarter
  5. Fourth quarter

Pregame Status Updates

  • Quarterbacks Deacon Hill and Myles Burkett are both listed as backups on the pre-game depth chart. Chase Wolf is unavailable after undergoing knee surgery. 
  • Starting cornerback Alexander Smith (hamstring) and nickel corner Justin Clark will not play. Redshirt freshman Ricardo Hallman will earn the start in place of Smith at cornerback opposite Jay Shaw. 
  • Kicker Vito Calvaruso will kick after missing most of fall camp with a quad injury. 
  • Cornerback Al Ashford is now wearing No. 30, while freshman wide receiver Vinny Anthony is wearing No. 86 after previously wearing No. 22 during camp. 
  • Other players not playing due to injury include Tanor Bortolini (OL), Cam Large (TE), Spencer Lytle (ILB), Isaac Townsend (DE), Aaron Witt (OLB, Travian Blaylock (S), Mike Jarvis (DE), Luna Larson (ILB). 
  • The Wisconsin Badgers are honoring the 2010, 2011, and 2021 football teams who won back-to-back-to-back Big Ten Championships during the game. 
  • Full depth chart for Wisconsin versus Illinois State
  • Wisconsin hosting several four-star players in football and basketball. 

First Quarter

  • 15:00 - The Badger won the toss and elected to kick the ball to Illinois State to begin the game. Jack Van Dyke kicked the ball through the end zone for a touchback. 
  • 12:56 - After a first down by Illinois State on back-to-back runs, John Torchio had a pretty sack on a safety blitz. Illinois State would be forced to punt the ball away to Wisconsin. 
  • 10:51 - Wisconsin goes three-and-out after a dropped pass by Markus Allen on a wide-open throw from Graham Mertz. Andy Vujnovich with a 50-yard punt. 
  • 9:20 - A roughing the passer penalty is called on Keeanu Benton, giving the Redbirds a first down on Wisconsin's side of the field. 
  • 8:15 - Junior outside linebacker Nick Herbig with a big sack, but a late hit by Hunter Wohler gives Illinois State a first down.
  • 1:52 - Senior safety John Torchio intercepts the ball at one end zone and returns it all the way, 100-yards, for a Wisconsin touchdown. 

7-0 Wisconsin

Second Quarter

  • 13:15 - Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen bounces off a would-be tackler for a 96-yard touchdown run, going essentially untouched after that through the Illinois State. The run was the longest in Wisconsin football history, breaking James White's 93-yard record. 

14-0 Wisconsin

  • 11:03 - After a long completion by Zack Annexstad for Illinois State, Wisconsin forces Illinois to punt the ball away, giving the Badgers the ball back at the 22-yard line. 
  • 9:35 - A 13-yard run by Chez Mellusi and a 14-yard completion by Graham Mertz to tight end Clay Cundiff pushes the Wisconsin offense into ISU territory. 
  • 4:59 - Graham Mertz completes a 19-yard throw to Markus Allen for a big third-down pick-up, but is sacked off his blind side two plays later to force another long third down. Wisconsin would ultimately complete a 9-yard pass and settle for a field goal. Vito Calvaruso made the 28-yard attempt. 

17-0 Wisconsin

  • 1:16 - Wisconsin cornerback Semar Melvin knocks down a pass to force another Illinois State punt.
  • 0:32 - After a first-down throw from Mertz to Markus Allen, Mertz is sacked for a loss. The Badgers let the clock run down to take a lead into halftime. 

17-0 Wisconsin at halftime

Third quarter

  • 14:54 - Isaac Guerendo records a 33-yard kickoff return and Braelon Allen has a 24-yard run to push the Badgers to the Illinois State 35-yard line. 
  • 11:59 - A pair of Graham Mertz completions to tight ends Hayden Rucci (13 yards) and Clay Cundiff (nine yards) move the Badgers near the goal line. 
  • 9:36 - Braelon Allen would punch the ball in for a 1-yard touchdown, his second score of the game. 

24-0 Wisconsin

  • 7:46 - Illinois State would once again get into Wisconsin territory on a couple of long throws, but a Nick Herbig sack would stall the drive. Illinois State would pin the Badgers deep at the seven-yard line on a pooch punt. 
  • 4:29 - Graham Mertz throws a quick tunnel screen to Chimere Dike that goes for 74-yards to once again put the Badgers in the red zone. 
  • 2:55 - Graham Mertz would throw a 16-yard touchdown to Dike a few plays later to extend the Wisconsin lead. 

31-0 Wisconsin

  • 2:02 - A Jordan Turner sack for Wisconsin and a pass break-up by Jay Shaw would lead to another Illinois State punt. Wisconsin would take over at the 
  • 0:51 - Hayden Rucci records a 14-yard reception from Mertz. 

Fourth quarter

  • 13:00 - A first down throw from Mertz to Chimere Dike and a 15-yard rush by Chez Mellusi push Wiscons into the Illinois State red zone. 
  • 8:57 - Isaac Guerendo would cap off the 76-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. 

38-0 Wisconsin

  • 7:43 - Backup safety Preston Zachman intercepts the ball on the Illinois State 45-yard line to give the Badgers good field position again. Wisconsin brings in the second-team offense on the following series. 
  • 6:15 - Backup quarterback Myles Burkett was sacked for a loss of nine yards. Andy Vujnovich punts the ball 39 yards to pin Illinois State at their own 10. 
  • 1:55 - Julius Davis with a 16-yard run to ice the game away. 

Wisconsin wins 38-0

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Matt Belz
MATT BELZ

Title: Publisher, Beat Writer for AllBadgers.com, a Sports Illustrated Channel Hello, my name is Matt Belz, and I am the site manager at All Badgers. I previously wrote for multiple years at Buckeyes 5th Quarter and have been the leading publisher here since March of 2022.  When I am not covering the Wisconsin Badgers football and men's basketball teams, I enjoy being outside and spending time with family and friends.  You can follow everything I write about on several different platforms. First and foremost on our site...AllBadgers.com You can follow me personally on Twitter at @savedbythebelz or check out our Facebook page at Wisconsin FanNation on Sports Illustrated.

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